From the News & Observer's "Under the Dome" team (Dan Kane, J. Andrew Curliss, and Matthew Eisley): Memo to state workers: Vote on own time:

A state Transportation Department memo telling employees to avoid voting during normal work hours isn't playing well with the State Employees Association of North Carolina.

The memo from DOT Human Resources Director Herb Henderson, issued Friday, tells employees that the Office of State Personnel has advised that they should vote outside of working hours.

"If an employee must vote during their assigned work time, this must be approved by the supervisor in advance, and the employee should follow the agency/university's normal leave procedures for using the appropriate leave (vacation/bonus or compensatory leave)," Henderson's memo said.

Association Executive Director Dana Cope said it appears to be a suppressive policy that the department should reconsider.

"In a best case scenario this is an attempt by the administration and DOT to just not be very employee friendly," Cope said. "At worst it's an attempt to try to suppress the state employee turnout on Election Day."

Ashley Memory, a DOT spokeswoman, said the memo doesn't change the department's policy on voting; it just puts it in writing. Henderson could not be reached for comment.

Cope said the association's phones were ringing off the hook shortly after the DOT memo went out. Cope is a former employee at the state Department of Labor, and he said that agency and others had allowed employees to take paid leave to cast their ballots.

SEANC's executive board endorsed Gov. Mike Easley's opponent in the election -- former state senator Patrick Ballantine. But Cope doesn't think Easley is behind the memo. ...

I don't know whether other state departments and agencies have similarly advised their employees. If I see anything, I'll post it.